What have we to learn from oxen? Dumb as an ox, goes the old saying.
We are reading in Exodus, Ch. 23, vs. 4, about the law of God:
"When you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it, but shall help him lift it up.""
We have also been reading in Romans, Ch. 5, vs. 8, about grace:
"God showed his love for us in that, while we yet sinners Christ died for us."
Is God's concern only about animals, or us as well?
Which raises the questions: " Whose is the ox? Who is the enemy? Who is doing the heavy lifting? Who is the ass?"
Enough said.
Who says God can't use dumb animals?
this really opens a door through which every ounce of temperance and self-control is surely resisting comment, ha! :)
ReplyDeleteyes, there are a number of people in our lives who act like some of these animals, either they burden us unnecessarily so, being people who really don't wish to take counsel but just love the attention you as a pastor are currently giving them and of course there are those who are just trying to be a pain in your behind. These are often the hardest ones to love with Christ's unconditional love but love we must and carry on, remembering Paul's words "bear ye one another's burdens", whether he be an enemy of the oxen variety or....well, you fill in the blank! Happy pastoring
Doesn't proverbs say He has made the wicked for the day of trouble?
ReplyDeleteHow much more can He use a willing soul!
Sometimes the ox is smarter than us humans! At least it recognizes its master.
ReplyDelete"The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Isa. 1:3
Two thoughts come to mind ...
ReplyDeleteFirst, I can't help wondering some days that if we voluntarily silenced our tongues (dumbed ourselves), listened more, and felt more ... that just maybe ... we wouldn't come across as "dumb and dumber".
Second, the only "unconditional" love I have known has been from HIM and Yoshi (my daughter and I were adopted humans of this wonderful Newfie/Shepherd mix) and Pierre (our Bichon Frise). To the humans who say the latter two were/are just "dumb" animals, I say ... you haven't yet been blessed with "unconditional" love.